Power actuated dual hopper door operating mechanism



June 17, 1969 w. L. FLOEHR POWER ACTUATED DUAL HOPPER DOOR OPERATINGMECHANISM Sheet Filed Jan. 31, 1967 n r O. h vm um h F L f w 8 4L,. m My B NdE his At torney' I June 17, 1969 w. L. FLOEHR POWER ACTUATED DUALHOPPER DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Sheet Filed Jan. 31, 1967 Inventor;

Walter L.F10 hr BYMZMM his Attorney June 17, 1969 FLOEHR 3,450,065

POWER ACTUATED DUAL HOPPER DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 31, 1967Sheet 3 I (J 27 L) V 8 FIG. 8 lo 1 4 4 23 A; 25 22 25 T 28 3/ i l 33 v/s x 29 1.131;

30 32 32 FIG. 10

FIG. 9

Inventor: 44

Walter L. Floehr his Attorney United States Patent US. Cl. 105-290 7Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mechanism for operating in unison alaterally aligned pair of longitudinally opening doors of a railwayhopper car which in closing distributes equally between the doors by aflexible spreader an adjustable preloading to compensate for the weightof the lading.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Mechanisms have heretofore been developedfor op erating in unison a laterally aligned pair of longitudinallyopening doors of a railway hopper car and, as disclosed in Murphy PatentNo. 1,877,423, issued Sept. 13, 1932, some such mechanisms employ aspreader pivotally con nected to the doors for substantially equallydistributing the applied forces therebetween.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The hopper door mechanism of the presentinvention improves upon prior mechanisms of the spreader type by usingas its spreader a flexible beam which by being flexed within its elasticlimit on closing of the doors, enables the doors to be preloaded tocompensate for the weight of the lading and also acts to absorb theshocks on doors when the lading is introduced into the car. Preferablyoperable from either side of the car, the improved mechanism furtherimproves upon prior mechanisms by being mounted on and reacting againstthe cars center sill, transmitting force from an operating shaft to thespreader through counterpart levers fulcrumed on opposite sides of thesill and acting through an equalizer, and enabling the lever fulcrum tobe shifted longitudinally as necessary to suit particular installations.

With the foregoing its main objectives, other objects and advantages ofthe invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, beparticularly in the appended claims and be illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE DESCRIPTION FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational View of arailway hopper car in 'which oppositely opening pairs of longitudinallyopening doors are each operated by a preferred embodiment of theimproved operating mechanism of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along lines 2-2of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view on an enlarged scale of thestructure of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scaletaken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the scale of FIG. 4taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the scale of FIG. 4taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view on the scale of FIG. 4taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIGURE 8 is fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along lines 8-8 ofFIG. 7;

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FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken along lines 9-9of FIG. 7;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along lines10-10 of FIG. 8;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view on the scale of FIG. 4taken along lines 11-11 of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along lines12-12 of FIG. 11; and

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along lines13-13 of FIG. 11. 7

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now in detail to the drawings in whichlike referenced characters designate like parts, the improved operatingmechanism of the present invention, designated as 1, is designed tooperate in unison a pair of longitudinally opening, laterally aligneddoors 2 of a railway hopper car 3, such as the so-called sawtooth hoppercar. The doors of the pair are mounted on opposite sides of the carscenter still 4 and, as indicated in FIG. 1, the car may be equipped witha plurality of such pairs. The doors 2 of the exemplary application ofthe mechanism 1 are conventional top hinged, drop bottom or bottomopening doors, which in the closed position shown at the left in FIG. 1,slope downwardly and inwardly from their hinges 5 and seat againstframes 6 and are adapted to swing between that position and asubstantially vertical open position such as shown at the right in FIG.1.

In the improved mechanism 1, the laterally aligned doors 2 of each pairare operated in unison by a horizontally disposed spreader 7 extendinglaterally of the car 3 across the center sill 4 and partly across thedoors and pivotally or, preferably, universally connected at oppositeends to the doors substantially midway between their sides on theirlateral midlines. For the preferred universal connection, the spreader 7may have at or fixed to its opposite ends a pair of legs 8 eachinstanding toward and centered laterally on one of the doors 2 andcarrying or having on its inner end a ball or spherical foot 9releasably received or seated and rotatable or swivelable in acorrespondingly spherical socket 10 in a bracket 11 fixed to andcentered laterally on the doors confronting or outer face 12. To preventbuckling of the doors, each of the brackets 11 is fixed directly to andbacked by an angle iron or other suitable horizontally disposedstiffener or backing member 13 which extends laterally substantiallyacross and is fixed at its ends to the doors face 12. To clear the doorhinge butts 14, the preferred stilfeners 13 are on the lower parts ofthe doors.

The spreader 7 is connected substantially midway of its ends or at itslongitudinal center to a link 15 for relative pivoting in the generallyhorizontal plane of itself and the link about a generally vertical axisperpendicular or normal to that plane. Contrary to the conventionalrigid spreader, the spreader 7 is elastic and flexible or bendablewithin limits over which it retains its elasticity and, although theextent will usually be slight, is designed to be bowed, flexed or bentinwardly at the center toward the doors and longitudinally of the car inthe doors closed position. For such limited longitudinal flexing orbending, the preferred spreader is a box or box-shaped beam ofrectangular and most suitably oblong cross-section with its longcross-axis disposed generally horizontally normal to the pivotal axis ofits pivotal connections 16 so that its flexing longitudinally is alongthat cross-axis. Mainly for strength rather than flexibility, the link15 too preferably is a box beam of rectangular and most suitably squarecross-section. Pivotally connected at its outer end to the spreader 7,

the link is so connected at its opposite or inner end for relativepivoting about an axis parallel to that of the pivotal connection orpivot 16 to an equalizer or cross-head or member 17. Below and extendinglaterally or transversely across the center still 4 and convenientlyformed of spaced plates 18 sandwiching or embracing the link 15, theequalizer 17 is connected centrally or midway of its ends to theadjoining end of the link by a pivot pin '19 and has at its ends,between and fixed to the plates, spacer blocks 20 mounting axiallyaligned trunnions 21 extending oppositely at right angles to the pivotpin.

Together, the right angularly related pivot pin 19 and trunnions 21 forma crosspin universal connection between the link 15 and a pair of levers22 mounted on opposite sides of the center sill 4, each on the undersideof one of the sills bottom flanges 23. Suitably bellcranks formed forstrength as triangular plates with Web-reinforced legs, the levers 22journal or pivotally receive or seat the trunnions 21 in their outercorners or outer ends of their force-transmitting legs or sides 24 andfulcrum or pivot at their inner corners at the intersection or jointbetween their force-transmitting legs and force-receiving legs or sides25 on a common fulcrum rod 26.

Projecting or extending laterally or transversely across the center sill4 below and beyond the bottom flanges 23 and mounting the levers 22 onits outer end beyond those flanges, the fulcrum rod 26 is mounted on,anchored to or suspended from the sill flanges by a pair of laterallyspaced and aligned mounting brackets 27 each mounted on and extending orelongated longitudinally of the underside of one of the flanges. Eachbracket 27 preferably is formed of upper and lower plates 28 and 29,respec tively, the former fixed or secured as by riveting to theadjoining or related bottom flange 23 and the latter carrying ormounting the fulcrum rod 26 in an integral or rigid, downstanding ordepending eye or boss 30. The plates 28 and 29 of each bracket 27 havelaterally or transversely serrated, grooved or toothed, consequentlyinterlocking or interfitting confronting faces 31 and these and thereleasable mounting of each bottom plate by a pair of bolts 32 extendingthrough the bottom flange and top plate and received in longitudinallyelongated slots 33 in the bottom plate at opposite sides of the eye 30,enable the bottom plates of both brackets to be shifted togetherlongitudinally of the center sill and selectively fixed or securedthereto in any of a plurality of longitudinally spaced positions, withcorresponding adjustable shifting of the common fulcrum of the levers22.

Swingable vertically and longitudinally of the car, the levers 22 formwith the link 15 an in part double toggle 34 having as its knee theturnnions 21 and breaking or folding downward at that knee on opening ofthe doors 2. Conversely, when the doors are closed, the toggle 34 isextended and the link 15 forming its outer leg is substantially alignedwith its fulcrum 26. For extending and collapsing the toggle 34, each ofthe counterpart triangular bellcrank levers 22 has pivotally connectedto its intermediate corner at the outer end of its force-receiving leg25 a lower end of one of a pair of counter parts, preferably bent links35, the upper ends of which are each connected to one of a pair ofcounterpart cranks 36. Positioned with their links 35 on opposite sidesof the center sill 4, the cranks 36 are keyed or otherwisenon-rotatively mounted on an operating shaft 37 extending laterallyacross the car with its opposite ends projecting through the side sills38 and its intermediate portion between the cranks rotatably mounted inbushings 39 fixed at opposite sides of the center sill 4 to a supportplate 40 mounted on top thereof.

The mechanism 1 preferably also includes a locking or locked operatingshaft 40 extending across the car through the side sills 38, parallel tobut spaced from the operating shaft 37. Each of the shafts 3'7 and 40 issocketed or otherwise fitted at each end for turning from either side ofthe car by a suitable turning too] (not shown). In addition, as fullyexplained in my copending application Ser. No. 460,028, filled June 1,1965, the preferred locking shaft 40 has at each end a radiallyextending arm 41 and radial flange 42 which, in the door-locked positionof the operating shaft 37, are adapted respectively to fit over and bereceived in a side of a head 43 on the adjoining end of the operatingshaft 37 for positively locking the latter against turning. Thisinterlock between the shafts must be disturbed when the doors 2 are tobe opened by first turning the locking shaft 40 from either end in anunlocking direction. Thus released or disengaged from the locking shaft,the operating shaft thereafter is turned in an opening direction foropening the doors.

As in the operating mechanism disclosed in application Ser. No. 460,028,in the closed position of the doors 2 each of the cranks 36 upstandssubstantially vertically from the operating shaft 37 and the shaft, byengaging the links 35 in their concave crooks or bends 44, acts as alimit stop for preventing further turning of the operating shaft in aclosing direction. At the same time the substantial longitudinalalignment of the link 15 of the toggle 34 with the latters fulcrum 26practically eliminates any resultant force from the weight of the doors2 and any lading tending to unlock the mechanism and, if desired, anysuch tendency can be removed completely and the engagement of theoperating shaft 37 and links 35 used as a positive lock againstunlocking by so adjusting the position of the fulcrum as to have aslight upward break in the toggle 34 when the doors are closed.

Aside from its action when the doors 2 are closed, the mechanism 1,because of the pivot connection of the spreader 7 to the doors and thelink 15, will continue to close the doors until both are fully seatedagainst their respective frames 6, thus compensating for warping orother irregularities in the doors and the frame. While similar in thisrespect to prior door operating mechanisms of the pivoted spreader type,the improved mechanism 1, as a result of the elasticity or resilienceand limited flexibility of the spreader 7, has the unique capablity ofpreloading or prestressing the doors in closing both to compensate forthe weight of lading subsequently introduced or loaded into the car andto absorb resiliently the impacts of the lading upon the doors duringsuch loading. Not only is this capability inherent in the mechanism butits presence in any installation is ensured by the selectiveshiftability or positionability of the toggle fulcrum 26 longitudinallyof the center sill 4 and thus toward or away from the doors 2 to suit aparticular installation. Furthermore, the anchoring or backing of themechanism by the center sill and transmission of a closing force fromthe operating shaft 37 to the link 15 through the duplicate cranks 36,links 35 and levers 22, ensures that the doors can be preloaded withoutrequiring corresponding strength in any members of the power train tothe spreader 7, other than the operating shaft, equalizer 17 and link15. Too, in an opening operation an operator need only turn theoperating shaft 37 to the point at which the toggle 34 has begun tobreak downwardly, whereupon the force of gravity upon the doors and anylading will take over and quickly swing the doors by gravity to openposition.

From the above detailed description it will be apparent that there hasbeen provided an improved operating mechanism for a pair of laterallyaligned drop bottom hopper doors which can compensate not only forirregularities in the doors and their frames but also for the weight andimpacts on the doors of subsequently introduced lading. It should beunderstood that the described and disclosed embodiment is merelyexemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to beincluded that do not depart from the spirit of the invention and theappended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. An operating mechanism for a railway hopper car for operating inunison a pair of longitudinally opening drop-bottom doors laterallyaligned on opposite sides of the cars center sill, comprising spreadermeans pivotally connected to and connecting the doors below the centersill, and power means for opening and closing the doors, said powermeans including a pair of levers fulcrummed on a common fulcrum axis onopposite bottom flanges of the center sill, and link means common to andconnecting said levers to said spreader means substantially midway ofthe pivotal connections thereof to the doors.

2. Operating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the fulcrum axis isstationary during operation of the mechanism, and including means forselectively shifting longitudinally of the car the position of thefulcrum axis.

3. Mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the link means is povotallyconnected to the spreader means and universally connected to the levermeans.

4. Mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the spreader and link meansare each a box beam of rectangular cross-section.

5. Mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the power means includes anoperating shaft extending across operable from opposite sides of thecar, cranks non-rotatably mounted on said shaft on opposing side of thesill, and links each connecting one of the cranks to the lever at acorresponding side of the sill.

6. Mechanism according ot claim 5, wherein the link means is a linkcentered laterally on the center sill, the connection of the linkmeansto the levers includes an equalizer pivotally connected at endsthereof to the levers and substantially midway therebetween to the link,and the pivotal connections of the equalizer to the levers and the linkare right angularly related.

7. Mechanism according to claim 6, including means operable fromopposite sides of the car for locking the operating shaft andtherethrough the doors in closed position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1918 Kestler 105-290 XR 5/1932Murphy 105280 US. Cl. X.R. l05 280, 296, 299, 304; 298--

